Bay View

Located directly south of downtown and north of St. Francis, Bay View is not actually a municipality; it is a neighborhood in the city of Milwaukee. Bay View offers a scenic view overlooking the southern portion of Lake Michigan’s Milwaukee Bay, which is how settler Zebiah Estes, with her husband, Elijah, came to name the village in the late 1830s.

A railroad would connect Milwaukee and Chicago some 20 years later and, in 1868, a rolling mill called The Milwaukee Iron Company would pave the way for employees to build cottages in the newly industrialized town. These distinct homes remain, an indelible part of the neighborhood’s timeless charm.

The Village of Bay View joined Milwaukee as its 17th Ward in 1887, so it is officially part of the City of Milwaukee. This ever expanding area has resulted in highly debated borders, but the general consensus is that Bay View starts to the north at Jones Island and runs south to Morgan Ave.; it spans from the lake west to I-43.

Highlights of Bay View

It has experienced a huge resurgence in popularity over the past 20 years.

Property values have skyrocketed due in large part to younger populations of students, young professionals and artistic types attracted by the proximity to downtown, the lake, night life and a bohemian feel.

Investors seek out and pay top dollar for homes to renovate and improve, driving prices ever higher.

South Shore Park (part of the Milwaukee County Park System) is home to the South Shore Farmers’ Market and South Shore Frolic – one of Milwaukee’s longest running festivals.

The Oak Leaf Trail hosts cyclists, runners and walkers along the lake shore and into the Downtown area.

Humboldt Park features the popular Chill on the Hill concert series every Tuesday night and the Humboldt Park Beer Garden.